Dodgers set to welcome rival Giants

Los Angeles (52-52) vs. San Francisco (43-61), 7:10 p.m. PT

By Michael Schwartz / MLB.com

LOS ANGELES -- It's certainly fitting that in the days following Walter O'Malley's induction into the Hall of Fame, the Dodgers and Giants will renew their rivalry in a three-game series at Dodger Stadium starting Monday.

O'Malley brought the rivalry to the West Coast by moving the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and convincing then-New York Giants owner Horace Stoneham to join him in California.

Dodgers manager Joe Torre grew up as a Giants fan in New York. He said although the rivalry is still going strong, it does not compare to how it was back in the Brooklyn-New York days.

"Now that they're separated by a pretty good distance, you have a tendency to think that San Diego is that team because they're closer," Torre said. "When we were in San Francisco I sensed that there was a lot of that animation out of the fans. But again, to try to compare it to the old Brooklyn days and the Bronx and New York and Brooklyn, I think it's going to be tough to rival that based on just proximity from each other."

Torre added the opponent's uniform still stimulates stories and gets the other team's attention.

The Dodgers enter the series hot, having won seven of 10 since the All-Star break after a weekend sweep of the Nationals. Los Angeles will be attempting to go over .500 on Monday for the first time since being 26-25 after a May 27 loss at the Cubs.

The Giants have been involved in three sweeps since the break, getting swept by the Brewers and D-backs sandwiched between a sweep of the struggling Nationals.

Not that Torre thinks any of that matters when it comes to these rivals.

"That's the thing about a rivalry though," Torre said. "It tends to make you forget about what happens yesterday."

Pitching matchupLAD: RHP Hiroki Kuroda (5-7, 3.98 ERA)
Kuroda had another wobbly beginning, following his two-inning start in Arizona by allowing five runs over the first three innings at Coors Field on Wednesday. As bad as it sounds, he was victimized by some fluky hits and he stopped the damage there, finishing with three scoreless innings. This start against the Giants should indicate which is the real Kuroda.

SF: RHP Kevin Correia (1-5, 5.71 ERA)
Correia emerged with a no-decision Wednesday from his last outing against Washington, although he blanked the Nationals for four innings. He yielded an unearned run in the fifth before crumbling in the sixth, when he allowed three runs. The one big inning has been Correia's undoing for much of the season. Still, he called this game one of his best of the year, particularly since it followed a 3 2/3-inning, seven-run effort at Chicago.

Tidbits
The Dodgers have won four straight at home for the first time since winning a season-high five straight from April 25-May 6. ... This weekend's sweep of the Nationals means Los Angeles has beaten the Nationals nine straight times at Dodger Stadium, last dropping a home game to the franchise on May 4, 2005, and 11 of 12 times overall. ... Because the D-backs swept the Giants this weekend, the Dodgers remain one game out in the National League West. They have been within a game of first for 11 straight days excluding the All-Star break and all but one day beginning July 4. ... The Dodgers shut out their opponent on consecutive days on Saturday and Sunday for the second time all year, with the first coming June 27-28 against the Angels. All eight of the Dodgers' shutouts this season have come at Dodger Stadium, whereas they shut out their opponent only three times last season at home. ... The Nationals hit just .135 (12-for-89) and scored two runs this weekend. ... Matt Kemp extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 with a pair of singles Sunday, tying Seattle's Jose Lopez for the longest active streak in the Majors. Kemp also stole his first base in nine games. ... Fans can come out early to attempt to be a contestant on "Deal or No Deal" prior to Monday's game. Casting will take place in Lot B starting at 5:30 p.m. PT ... Sunday was Autograph Day at Dodger Stadium for kids 14 and under. ... Pitcher Eduardo Sierra was promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas, and pitcher Luis Ferreras was promoted to Double-A Jacksonville.